When the Red Bulls handed the reins of their high-priced club to Mike Petke in January, many wondered how the rookie coach would handle stars without outsized personalities like Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. But it’s that Designated Player tandem that is heaping praise on the young manager.

No, make that the young playoff-bound manager. Petke’s Red Bulls are the only team to clinch a postseason berth so far. And in a debut season where Cahill said so many were just waiting for him to fail, the local product and club legend has been a rousing success, and arguably the best decision the front office has made.

“Over time with the manager, with how much he loves the club, was probably one of the best things him getting put in charge, because he loves the club,’’ said Cahill. “You see how much theatrics are on the sideline; it’s because he cares. You guys have spent time with the fans: That’s the same kind of character I am.’’

There have been predictable ups and downs for Petke, from the emotional to the tactical. He vowed to play a free-flowing attractive 4-3-3, and had to swallow his pride and scrap that for a workmanlike 4-4-2 after an early string of poor results showed he just didn’t have the personnel to play the way he wanted.

Then there were the ugly results at Toronto and Chivas USA in August, none of it shocking considering the 37-year-old Petke wasn’t the lead assistant under departed coach Hans Backe, and hadn’t even run a training session last year. But Petke has always been a sort to put his head down and get to work, and he’s done the same thing with his first head coaching opportunity.

“He had to learn throughout the season, with us, suffering with us, having joy with us,’’ said Henry. “I was over there putting some ice on and they were showing the game and when we conceded the goal he was just like whew giving one of those. And when we scored he jumped everywhere.

“It’s nice to see. And that’s Mike: Full of passion, committed, loves this club, and at the end of the day we said we’re going to go for the playoffs and whatever comes after will come. Now we’re in the playoffs; let’s see.’’

That passion is on display every game, his angst over every goal allowed or call that goes against them, to leaping around in ecstasy when Cahill’s header seven minutes into added time pulled out a 2-2 tie with New England and clinched their playoff bid in his rookie coach campaign.

“Last second, my heart’s going to give out soon,’’ said Petke. “It’s a great moment right now for the organization. It’s a good moment for me, to take a deep breath finally. But this was our initial goal … Now our goals get recalculated. The guys get a couple of days off because of our bye weekend next weekend. Hopefully they get rest, both mentally and physically, and then we move on to our second goal.’’

Petke’s passion was also on display last month when he and Henry got into an altercation at practice, having to be separated by the staff. But the Red Bulls are 5-0-2 since, playing their best defense down the stretch of the season to thrust Petke square into the Coach of the Year conversation.

And, with so much made of the likes of Real Salt Lake’s Jason Kreis, D.C. United’s Ben Olson and Portland’s Caleb Porter – and so many predicting early failure for the Red Bulls’ young Yank coach – Cahill not only took extra joy in seeing Petke succeed, but tipped him to be a hot coaching commodity.

“Mike’s fantastic. He deserves a hell of a lot of credit, because everyone was just waiting for him to fail,’’ said Cahill. “As players we want to do everything possible to make him a success, because everyone talks about these great young managers like Ben Olsen, Jason Kreis, these sorts of guys. But you look at your front doorstep and you’ve got Mike Petke, someone who’s lived it and breathed it.

“The American managers, the talent is exceptional. In fairness to Petke, he’s definitely going to be hot property as a manager, because he’s proved in his first season he’s gone far and beyond the bar. He’s a good guy also, so it’s nice to play under him.’’